Clerical Meeting of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu

Clerical Meeting of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu

On Monday, November 19, 2018, at the Spiritual Center, a Clerical Meeting was held of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu, with main speaker, his Eminence, the Bishop of Edessa, Pella and Almopia Mr. Joel on the topic: “Saint Paul and his colleagues”.

In his address, the Bishop of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands, Mr. Nektarios, welcomed and thanked Mr. Joel, referring to everything that has been recently made in our country regarding the revision of the Constitution and the pay of the Clergy. Unfortunately, we see that our Church accepts war not only from the foreign centers, but also from the domestic ones. It attempts to eliminate any reference to the Orthodox Faith, as if this belief has hurt Greece. On the contrary, the plagues of Orthodoxy and the blood of witnesses of faith kept our Nation alive all these centuries. Whatever the alien and all-conquering conquerors did not do, the ones in power loudly try to impose it, demanding at the same time the Church to silence. That will never happen. Especially, the Bishops have a duty to defend the truth against anyone without considering any cost. It is necessary to preserve the faith of our fathers and the salvation of the people. Faced with such salvific values, there are no discounts, let alone diplomacy.

Then Mr. Joel took the floor and thanked the Bishop of Corfu for his speech, highlighting three points regarding the Apostle of the Nations and his relationship with his colleagues, men and women. First, the Apostle Paul was not ignorant of his associates. He boldly admits that they helped him a lot in his effort to preach the Gospel. This expression of gratitude shows a subtlety of his soul. Apostle Paul was not a selfish person. For him, a colleague means a participant in the unspeakable labors and dangers of preaching. Secondly, Paul was kind to his associates, and third, during his missionary works, he was in direct need of his associates, a need that he confessed.

In conclusion, Mr. Joel underlined that in order to be grateful and to acknowledge the value and importance of our associates, it is necessary to have within us the Grace of God and to be spiritually cultivated like the Apostle Paul. Many people are excellent at work, but inappropriate in working together. The collaboration of two or more people testifies to the presence of the Holy Spirit, observes Great Basil. In the spirit of cooperation human attracts Christ in their life and becomes fruitful.